Bhava
Also known as: House, Vedic house
A bhava is one of the 12 houses of a Vedic birth chart, each governing a specific area of life — self, money, siblings, home, children, and so on through to liberation.
The 12 bhavas, in order, govern: 1st — self, body, ascendant; 2nd — wealth, family, speech; 3rd — siblings, courage, short journeys; 4th — mother, home, comfort; 5th — children, intellect, romance; 6th — enemies, debts, illness, service; 7th — marriage, partnerships; 8th — longevity, sudden change, hidden things; 9th — father, dharma, fortune, long journeys; 10th — career, status, public reputation; 11th — gains, friends, elder siblings; 12th — losses, expenses, foreign lands, liberation. Each bhava is read by which sign occupies it, which planets sit in it, and which planet rules its sign. Bhavas are the same as houses in Western astrology but Vedic astrology gives more weight to the bhava lord (the planet that rules the sign on the cusp).
Example
Jupiter in the 10th bhava traditionally indicates a successful, respected career, especially in teaching, advising, or public service.Related terms